Prithviraj to train in horse riding and martial arts for Syamanthakam

Filmmaker Hariharan, who has made epic movies like the Mammootty-starrer Pazhassi Raja in the past, gears up to launch his next mega project Syamanthakam by the end of the year.
And his lead actor Prithviraj is also all set to give it his best. The actor, who plays Lord Sree Krishna in the film, will be undergoing training in traditional disciplines like horse riding and martial arts, alongside a bit of dance and music too to play his part to perfection.The director, who has also scripted the film, says, “Syamanthakam is one of the famous episodes in Mahabharata in which a search is undertaken to find a stolen precious stone, named thus. Its hero is Sree Krishna and it explores a variety of sides of the character, including the ones in which he is a warrior. It’s the first time in Indian cinema that Sree Krishna is presented as an out-and-out hero. So far, he has only been presented as a romantic hero in certain projects. Prithvi will train in horse riding, martial arts and a few art forms to prepare for his role.”
Quiz him as to why he chose Prithviraj, the ace director is all smiles. “He fits the bill perfectly, both performance and looks-wise. A good physique is quite important for such a story and he would be a good fit on that front too,” says the director. Hariharan, who reveals that the project has been in his mind for long, explains, “It’s often told that there is no story that is not present in Mahabharata. Its tales have social, cultural and political relevance even today. Presenting it well calls for thorough preparation and currently that’s what I’m busy with.” He is yet to finalise the rest of the cast and technicians, and says, “There are many important, prominent characters in the film, and we will also need a solid backing of visual effects to present certain characters. Music and dance also play important parts in the movie, and so we’re extra careful with the casting.”
As Mahabharata is an intriguing story that took place in the northern part of India, the director says that he will be roping in actors from other languages as well. “Mahabharata is not a story of Kerala, but of India. The story mostly took place in North India and we would be shooting in locations where the mood of the story could be authentically captured, be it here or abroad. We have to transport the audience to another world. The script calls for the extensive utilisation of modern technology for recreating characters of animals and other characters like Jambavan – half man and half monkey.” The film is a multi-lingual and will be made in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi.